


Our World

by Cannibalistic_Fawn



Category: Dragon Quest Builders (Video Games)
Genre: Game: Dragon Quest Builders 2, Nonbinary Character, Original Character(s), Other, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:26:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21568357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cannibalistic_Fawn/pseuds/Cannibalistic_Fawn
Summary: A collection of drabbles from the perspective of a builder who never wanted this to begin with. Their adventures as they learn to grow, trust, and build the world around them. An alternative spin on the game events.
Relationships: Builder & Malroth (Dragon Quest Builders 2)
Kudos: 34





	Our World

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first attempt at writing a fan fiction in like eleven years. I just got really into DQB2 and needed to project some personal head canons. I'll likely add to this and the rating may change (tags absolutely will) but this is just something I'm doing on the side. Enjoy though!

The snapping of burning wood soaked in salt filled the tiny makeshift cabin, almost masking the quiet snores across the open space by the far stone wall.The sleeping form of a woman upon a grassy mat was outlined in the dark by the light from the fire. The person crouched beside the fire ignored the slumbering body as they shucked open the shells of two large scallywinkles they had managed to find during their scouring of the beach that day. 

They were far too lost in their own thoughts to consider her and was enjoying the blessed pause in her incessant demands of them since becoming stranded upon this island several days ago. Kai was a builder, they supposed. Compared to the woman, Lulu, they were a master, and even more so when compared to the other person in the room, Malroth. He had proven to not only be incapable at building, but quite ignorant of...well, everything. 

Kai had gaps in their memory, sure. They had left home, left behind their seven siblings and parents, not to be a builder but for some peace. If they were considered a 'builder' back home it was only because as the middle child, they were either blamed for not watching their younger siblings properly or the scapegoat for the elder ones. Fixing things was simply their way of staying out of trouble, nothing more. Just a way to escape disappointed gazes from their parents. They hadn't even had a plan when they packed up a few necessities, their journal, and said goodbye after spending so many years at home. In the years they had traveled, they'd only turned to wandering listlessly. 

So while they hadn't had any real goal, they were both disgruntled and confused to find theirself upon a monster ship in the middle of the sea. With absolutely no recollection of how they had been captured or transported, they had gritted their teeth and tried to make the best of it. They had confidence in the Goddess that they could work their way out of this just like they had every time they got into trouble over the years, not that they sought it out. At least the Skeleton had been honest with them from the start about their potential fate. They were never fond of liars, courtesy of their siblings framing him all their youth. 

They supposed that's what made Malroth and Lulu bearable maroon-mates. While Lulu was annoying by principle and Malroth uncouth to an almost comical degree, both were honest individuals and he could appreciate that immensely. Especially since they were all in this together now, for better or for worse. Lulu just tended to be pushy about what she wanted…  
Kai pierced a sharpened stick through the mollusks they had been cleaning, setting them up by the fire. Sighing through their nose, they wiped their gloves clean, placing them on the floor beside them for a moment as they untied their bandanna, relishing in the cooler feeling of exposing their throat after being by the fire so long. A button or two loose on their shirt and they felt at least comfortable as they eyed the searing scallys. 

Lulu had been insisting upon a livable space since they had all arrived and while she wasn't wrong, they would appreciate her help. Even now, she had eaten the first scaly he had made and scurried off to sleep as if she was exhausted. At least Malroth had run the beach with them again and tried to help Kai. When he had laid down, yawning widely and exceptionally pleased with himself for smashing enough slimes to help keep the fire going for hours through the night, it was at least warranted. Kai had been skeptical of the red eyed and keen eared man when they saw him looking out from the beach that first day.

They definitely had not been prepared for the mixed relief at realizing they weren't alone on this speck in the ocean and disgruntlement at realizing their fellow castaway was a man with no sense of personal space. They had to admit however that Malroth was not encroaching in the way most people were. He seemed attached to them like a child eager to learn. Malroth had not only no memory of who he was as a person, he had no knowledge of even the most basic concepts, objects, and animals. The sharp sure confidence he had as he had told Kai his name was Malroth was entirely absent in the clouded confusion that permeated from the dark man whenever he saw Kai interact with anything. 

He would run the beach with Kai, keenly watching as he broke down wreckage for components to try fixing the old shack, gathering food or wood for burning, and would try his best to assist. The help was absolutely appreciated, seeing as Lulu was only capable of barking orders. Not having to curb his blunt nature for Malroth when they were away from the vibrant woman, it was refreshing to share the world with someone who wasn't asking for the child friendly explanation. Malroth only seemed to reciprocate this with his own bluntness. This had led to several heated but very good natured discussions about how things were and how 'strange' or 'useless' or 'amazing' something was.

Malroth was, however, not helpful in the building department. He had destroyed not one, not two, but three sections of wall trying to help Kai with their task. He had completely crushed a scallywag in his fingers and nearly set a wall aflame trying to salvage the poor creature. The effort was not unnoticed, and he had even desperately tried to create a "better" cypress stick for them. The area around the battered workbench had been littered with snapped and twisted sticks and the evidence of many frustrated kicks at the sand. Kai couldn't help finding the attempt endearing. He could have accepted his fate as a castaway and waited to be rescued like their pink haired comrade but he dove head first into trying his best. 

It at least made their stay on the tiny alcove entertaining. 

Kai heard a shuffling from the nearest mat, where the man of his current musings had been dozing. He was surely roused by the smell of perfectly searing food, a few minutes from completion. Kai turned and gave Malroth a half smile in the quiet. The sharp eyed man sat with his knees to his chest, feet bare and hair braided back. He had been skeptical when Kai suggested taming the thick locks, but was convinced with the logic that it was better given all the sea salt in their environment. If it was going to be stiff, it may as well be as such comfortably. The few strands simply too short to be tied down framed the sun kissed face like sharp horns, creating a spiked, imposing shadow upon the stone wall at his back.

"Good! I'd rather you eat this hot than cold in the morning," Kai said quietly, as to not stir Lulu lest she break the tranquility of the night. Malroth responded with a noncommittal grunt, hooded lids staring at the food for a spell before looking at Kai briefly. Kai couldn't help furrowing their brow at the silence, up until this point he had always shown enthusiasm for a hot meal. 

Malroth shifted uncomfortably at the look, lowering his face for a moment. Perhaps he hadn't been sleeping at all, then. He clearly had something he wanted to say and Kai raised a brow in question, offering a silent invitation rather than directly pressing. 

"I'm sorry," he finally murmured, catching onto Kai's facial expression. "I want to help, but all I do is destroy your work." There was a slight undertone of anger under the clear upset and Kai mulled over the words quietly while replacing his gloves, preparing to pull the food from the fire. Malroth seemed to take the silence wrong as the next thing he said was, "Forget it." Kai turned back to him and Malroth looked stormy, looking to the wall rather than them. "I'll beat things when you need me to." It was said like a verdict, his final direction in life. Like it was all he could possibly do. Kai stayed quiet as he finally pulled the steaming scallys skewer to them and blew on one, watching the steam waft to intermingle in the smoke of the campfire, rising into the open air and towards the cliff protecting them from the elements. 

It miffed them that Malroth felt so useless. He tried so hard and that was admirable in anyone, really. Seeing him struggle to make sense of the world and his place in it while having nothing was clearly getting to him, as it would any sensible person. He was a destructive force of nature, Malroth, but that didn't mean he couldn't do good. 

"Well, you just have to find ways to be constructive and productive," they said matter of factly, as if that settled the entire issue. They took the cooled fish in his teeth and pulled it from the skewer, as a scoff behind them made it clear it wasn't. 

"We know I can smash monsters and break things, Kai. That's not useful."

"That's not what I mean," Kai said around their meal, chewing in thought. "Mm, Here. Take dinner for example." They offered the stick to Malroth, who took it tentatively, eyeing it as if it had some secret it was keeping from him all of a sudden. "It's just a scally, right? All I did was burn it to a certain point." Malroth raised a brow slightly at this, still gazing at his meal as it lost heat. "That's all cooking really is." Kai could see the cloud of confusion rising in red eyes again, nose scrunched as he tried to understand what this had to do with his apology. A genuine chuckle and smile found its way to Kai's face as they adjusted their sitting position so they were facing Malroth. They knew their logic was very backwards here but he knew it would help Malroth's self worth and his friend deserved that. "You have to harvest, chop, sear, burn, and let food disintegrate down! All to create a delicious meal!"

The change in Malroth was nearly immediate, a huge grin spreading across his face as he sat up, hands bracing his excited body against the floor, forgetting his meal entirely as it met dirt in an egregious manner. 

"You mean I can burn things!" He nearly shouted at the epiphany, causing a startled snort from Lulu, who sprung up , looking around with grass stuck in her pink hair.

"What?! Who?! Mother, what was- oh. Malroth!" The bleary eyed woman gave a scowl that could curdle milk, jabbing a finger at the still beaming man. "Don't you know not to disturb a lady's beauty sleep?! You're treading very dangerous territory! I need to be bright eyed and bushy tailed for my breakfast!" Lulu then turned over with a grumble akin to a Powie Wowie more than a petite lady. 

Malroth gave a shameless laugh, unperturbed by her demand. "So, you're telling me I can destroy things into other things that people eat? Like my...oh...well." Malroth looked at the sad remains of dinner as he raised his hand, blinking before giving a nonchalant shrug and another sharp tooth smile. The sand clinging to it didn't damper his delight as Kai nodded, returning his enthusiasm with a chortle. 

"I can show you how to get the scallys out another way tomorrow. It's really easy once you get a technique that works. I'm sure we'll have you making five star seaweed wraps in no time."  
Malroth gave a confused cock of his head at the euphemism, putting his stick down again. "I didn't know you could eat stars too…" Kai laughed and they dozed off with Kai explaining what five stars meant and what restaurants were and how much food meant to people. They may be sleeping in a shack but by the time they fell asleep, Kai had conjured images of food Malroth would slay a million slimes to try into his mind and a hope that maybe he too could be useful.

**Author's Note:**

> Welp, hope you all like this look into what my head does in between all my jobs hahaha.


End file.
